Vegetable harvester



July 11, 1950 C. c. KLENKE VEGETABLE HARVESTER Filed July 7, 1948 Attorneys INVENTOR.

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BY Qa@ alu/Wawy 5mm Jly 11K-,149501: c. KLENKE v 2,514,771.`

VEGETABLE HARVESTER Filed July "7, 1948 4 sheets-sheet 3 Chr/s C. K/enke JNVENToR.

Y MME/m Patented July 11,1950

PATENT OFFICE vEGETABLE HARVESTER chris c. nienke, Ashton, 111. Application July 7, 1948, Serial No. 37,459

f This linvention relates provements in vegetable cuttingznaohines and the primary object-of the'presentwinventon isf'to provide am'achine .for-cutting, conveying., and packing vegetable'sfsuoh :as asparagusv andthe like,`.rand which is `so designed vas to 'hermit a singlelattendantto eflicentlyand efeetiyely control A the ab'ove operations inzasconuenent manner. Another .important object of VAthe presentin- 4Vention is to provide :a vegetableecutting machine including :a .novel 'and improved lvegetable elevatingconveyor thatiis @so .constructedfas to sieve :or thin mit lrelative'ly fsrnall vegetahleszas the 'same are :being elevated to a :delivery conveyor.

A@Another object of the present :inventionris fto provide Aa 'cutting 'machine 4having an ,elevating conveyorfor fliftingicutivegetables sirenas-asparato newfrand useful :frnf I ent vegetable cutting machine;

gus, a delivery ,conveyor thatswill receive vegef t l tables ffrorn ythe elevating conyeyon- .and a. .novel and improved :conve-yor removably supporting .-a oontainenor groupsiofeontainers that -will be .moved `to a position for receivingfthe vegetables displaced from ithe delivery conveyor.

Another `object :of "thef-presentqinventign, is .to provide `a Mmachine .for '-,cuttingif conveying and packing` vegetables vincludnga cutter,` anzelevating; conveyor, a :delivery .oonyeyor, a ,roller Y;f o r `directingrcut vegetables ,to Ythe elevating conveyor .anclembodying` novel and improveddneans for operatively connecting each-of the above referred toy elements tos-,a source of powensuch as .the powertake-offshaftpo a tractor.

Another object of the present. invention is to Aprovide -avesetable .cutting :machine including a delivery conveyor. that is `Vprmfidedwitha fmeans vttor-Izedu'cingzthe normal vsizeof avegetablezbeing vconductediloy the same. .v

:.'Ainother .object of thepresent ,invention :is to provide an asparagus cutting machine involving an,.elevatingconveyon` a, delivery conveyor at the .uppersend oisaid elevating .conveyorand baille -Fieurez isa top plan viewof Figure 1,;

FigureS is a diagrammatic perspective 4view illustrating they manner in ywhich the .various con.- lyeyors of `the present invention are driven;

.Figure l isoan ,enlarged traIlSVeIse sectional view taken-substantially on the .plane of section line ,4r- 4 of `ligure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse .Sectional view taken substantially on the jplane of section line 5.-.-z-5 4of 'Figure l; f

Figure. '6 sist-,anz enlarged transverse yertical sectional vvView .takenl substantially on .the plane :of

seotionline lie-.6 of Figure Y1`;`; l

Figure y7 is an enlarged transverse, .vertical sectional .view vtaken substantially .on the :plane rCif .section line 1.-.-1 ofFigure -1;

Figure 8 is 1an ,enlarged .transverse .vertical suec- `tional -View taken Asulistantially von the ,plane of section liner 8 8 ,of Figure 1;

Figure .9.-isfairasmentary.longitudinal .vertical sectional LView, in. Aan .enlarged scale, taken sull- ,stantially 4on the plane of .section line .9-1-9 of Figure 7; and,

Figure 101s anenlargedfragmentarylongitudinal vertical .sectional viewf Vtaken substantially on the plane of section line mail) ,Qflgurez.

Referring now tothe ,drawingsgin detail, ,Wherein .for ythe purpose `of illustratsioa4 merels `.dis-

closed apreferred embodimentoithe,present,inf t vention, the. numeral ,l Elreprsentsa. substantially Yrecta,ngularfand open frame, that supporta in any suitable manner a rear pairfcf ,wheels 2I which ,retain the treme in. an elevated position s,aloeye .the ground.. This. framelis provided `with any suitalole numberof ycross members,,tiesonbraing that will yproperly support :and prei/ent. swaying ofnthe samev when in use.

A pairffof posts, vmuse,trims the. sidesof the -Iframfe IIL; at the rear Yportion ',thereofz, and are fsecured toy the spaced parallel, jlongitldinial lside .maus teef Aan elongated, substantially @handelshaped trough i8 adjacent the rear ,of wthe LNotches 98 are provided in The bottom wall of the trough I8 terminates Y substantially medially the length of the side walls I6 to provide a forward opening 24 under'which.-

there is disposed and supported a suitable .con-

tainer 26, that will receive relatively small vege- 'v elevated position in a manner presently to described.

Pairs of upstanding support arms 28 are fixed tothe outer surfaces of theside walls I6, at the forward ends thereof, and support a pair of spaced, transverse, substantially horizontal beams 3|)v from the ends of which there depend pairs 'of links 32 and 34. Y A

` -A' main driven shaft 36 is vjournalled for rotation on the beams and supports a pulley 38 'that is 'disposed between the beams 30 and which is provided with a pair of grooves that engag endless belts and 42, respectively. Avfurther pair of shafts 44 and 46 are supported by the beams '30 and carry pulleys 48 and that engage the belts 40fand 42, respectively. lThe pulley 48 is provided with a pair of grooves, one of which receives the belt 42 and the remaining of which engage afurther endless belt 52, while the pulley 50 supports a'reduced pulley 54 that engages another endless belt 56.

Rotatably supported on a lower shaft 58 be'- 4vtween the links 34, is a drive wheel 60 having a :pulley 62 xed thereto that engages the belt 52, whereby the wheel will be rotated bythe pulley 48. This wheel 60 cooperateswith a further 'of vwhich is connected, vby a universal'coupling 18, to a shaft 80 that is journalled on 82 which depends from the beam 30.

A pulley 84 is fixed on the latest shaft, 80, and engages the belt 56 whereby the shaft 'I6 will be rotated by the pulley 50. i i fRotatably supported by the side wallv I 6," is

aA strap `a transverse shaft 86, the ends of which support sprockets 88 aboutA which there is trained a pair of link chains 90 that extend forwardly in spaced parallelism to engage -a further pair of spaced sprockets 92 that are mounted on a further transverse shaftv 94 carried by the side walls |6, adjacent the forward ends thereof: The latest sprockets 92 are of a relatively smaller size than the sprockets 88. i

A roller 96 rotatably supported between the side walls I6, adjacent notches 98 therein, supports a pulley |00 that is connected to a pulley |02 on the shaft 94 by an endless belt |04 which engages one of a pair of grooves provided inthe pulley |02.

the side Walls" I 8,

4 adjacent the forward pointed ends 22 thereof, so that channel guides |06, which are secured by arms |08 to the side walls I6, will engage and retain the lower flight of the saw blade or cutter 68 spaced above the ground and substantially parallel to the roller 96.

An enlarged bevel gear I I0 is suitably mounted on the shaft 86 and engages a relatively small bevel gear 4I I2 mountedlonvthe longitudinal shaft 16, whereby the chains 90 will be rotated at a substantially low rate of'speed. i l An outwardly extending shaft ||4 that is rotatably carried by one side wall of the trough I8, supports a pulley ||6 that is connected to the pulleyI |02 by a belt ||8, and a bevel gear ,g J ournalbearings or sleeves |22 fixed to one side wall of the trough I8, rotatably support a shaft |24 having bevel gears |26 and |28 secured thereon, on-e of which, for example |26, is keyed thereon for sliding movement to engage. the bevel gear |20 on shaft `I I4. y -'In vorder to'actuate the gear |26 into and out of engagement with the gear |20, there is providedalever |30 that is pivoted to one side wall ofthe trough and which includes an angulated end portion |32. thatengages between the gear |26 anda fixedstop -|34 on the shaft |24, for forcing the gear |26 into engagement with the gear 20 as the llever is raised manually Fixed to one side of the frame I0, by spacing brackets or hangers |36, is an elongated substantially rectangular and horizontal trough |38 that rotatably supports a pair of transversely disposed shafts` |40 on each of which there is xed a pair of sprockets `|42 and |44. The sprockets |42 and |44 of the respective shafts are connected by endless link chains |46 and |48.

The forwardmostof vthe shafts |40 supports a bevel gear |50 that engages the gear |28. f A` plurality of Spaced,-paralle1 cross bars |52 'are suitably fixed .between the chains |46 and |48, rotate with the ychains l|46 and |48, and support a suitable container or containers (not shown) inl a'manner presently to be described.

Pivotally secured to the lsides of the trough |38, is a rear platform orv ramp |54 to which there is fixed a pair of upstanding lugs or arms |56. Thesev arms |56 are connectedA to further arms |58 xed to the sides-of the trough |38 by resilient elements or coil springs |60 that will retain the said platform in a substantiallyhorizontalv position, see Figure l0.' i, Suitablylxed to the rear portion of the trough I8 bybrack-ets or thelike (not shown) is a transversely disposed, substantially channel-shaped member |62 having a downwardly directed end portion |64 that is disposed over they rear portion. l l

A pair of spaced parallel .rollers or resilient sleeves |66 are rotatably supported by the sides of themember |62 and there is trained about the rollers |68` an endless, preferably resilient or fabric belt or conveyor having longitudinally spaced, transverse fingers or ribs. |'|0.

The rollers |68-are ,provided with reducedends oraxles Il2,keyed thereto, which are rotatably ysupported on the member |62. A bevel gear |74 is mounted on one shaft |12 and engages a further bevel gear |16. on a rotatyable shaft |18, that is suitably mounted on one side wall of the trough ||8 and which supports a further bevel gear |`that is in mesh with gear .||0, see Figures 2 and 3. y Y Y l.Outwardlyaproj ecting` arms Qr. retainer lingers acierta |872?. are fixed; :tower form pose which` will` later'be more ful-lyy apparent,` l

Al pli'iralityof spaced parallel?.crossflbarsi 84' are fixed between the" chains 90,` aremovable with. the` chains.- '90,l and are disposedffabove. and below ai' plurality of longitudinally: spaced.. transverse and" parallel bars`4 |86 that are u removablyr ycarriedbyV theside walls I6. l

A further group of transversely spaced?, longf-y tudirialtbars |88 are supported on and xed to the bars |86 to provide a substantially rectangular screen that isdisposed-abovethel bottom wall of thetrough I8. y

Fixed between a pair of transverse bea/rms; |90 carried by the trough v'I 8, `is a plurality `of spaced parallel, longiti'idinallyy eztendilig` partitions or walls |192' that are spaced abc've the crossf'bars Inclined baffles or directing: chutes |94 are iced toi thewalls |92 and define passages that lead to theconveyor belt |68. i.

suitably' secured to the` frame" |01; is ari attachingframe |96 that will permitthepresent invenztion tobe applied to a tractorforthe'. like for ha'uling, and a universal coupling |98 connects the shaft 36 to the power take-off shaft 200 of the tractor which is hauling the present invention.

In order to'reduce the normal size of the asparagus or vegetables which are being conducted by the delivery conveyor or belt |68, there is provided a pair of complementary saw blades 202 and 204 which are driven through a pulley and belt connection 206 to one of the shafts |12 of the rollers |66, as shown best in Figure 3 of the drawings. These blades 202 and 204 will tend to cut off any of the Vegetables which overhang the inner edges of the member |62.

In practical use of the present invention, the shaft 36 is connected to the power take-off shaft of the tractor, the saw blade 68 will be rotated to rcut vegetables such as asparagus, whereby the cut vegetables will be disposed on the elevating conveyor or cross bars |84 by the roller 96. As

i the cut vegetables are beingl elevated by the conveyor or cross bars |84, the small vegetables will be sieved or thinned out by the screen which is disposed beneath the elevating conveyor, since the small particles will fall between the cross bars |84 and on to the screen or bars |86 and |88 that form the screen. The thinned vegetables will then slide down the bottom wall of the trough |8 and pass downwardly through the opening 24 onto the container 26 disposed therebeneath.

The cut vegetables will be directed from the elevating conveyor or cross members |84 to the an integralrpart ofthe; ribsI Fit,` at'thefirinermostend's? thereof, for"95.151111*-A then be raised tos-itsnormal horizontai positionY is believed that a clear. understandingof the cle-'1:

vice willzb'e quite apparentito those skilledl in this art.: A more detailed vdescription isaccordingly deemed' unnecessary).

Itfis to'l be understood, however, that.' everf though there is nereinfsncwn andrdescribedi a delivery conveyor or belt |68 where the ribs I'IIII and fingers |82 will tend to carry the same in groups to the discharge end of the belt |68. The material will fa11 down the inclined chute or downwardly turned end portion |64 of the member |62 and into a container which is disposed on the cross bars |52 of the container holding conveyor. By manually actuating the lever |30, the operator may retain the container on the cross bars |52 disposed into a position for receiving the vegetables discharged from the belt |68 for any predetermined length of time or until the same is properly filled.

When a further container is placed on the cross bars |52, the same will force the filled container toward the rear end of the platform |52 and which platform |54 will pivot downwardly to bear upon the ground surface and permit the container to slide on the platform to a position on the -ground whereupon the platform |54 will preferred embodiment of the.` invention, the same isf susceptible tov certain changes fully compre`-' hend'ed by the spirity of' theinvention als.hereini described and the'scope of Vthe appended claimsi Having.' described the.` invention', what is claimed'- as new is: y i l l1. vegetable*A cutting machine comprisingl'al xii-heeled'frame,` a cutter forPc'u'ttin'gvl vegetablesii an elevating conveyor for lifting vegetables cut by the cutter, means disposed between the cutter and the elevating conveyor for carrying cut vegetables to the elevating conveyor, a delivery conveyor disposed at one end of said elevating conveyor, a first shaft operatively connected to a source of power, means connecting said rst shaft to said cutter for actuating the latter, means connecting said first shaft to said delivery conveyor and said elevating conveyor for rotating the same, a further conveyor disposed below and parallel to the delivery conveyor for conducting containers toward said delivery conveyor, and a manually operated clutch operatively connecting said further conveyor to said elevating conveyor for rotation of the former with the latter.

2. A vegetable cutting machine comprising a Wheeled frame, a cutter at one end of said frame, a vertically inclined elevating conveyor, an auxiliary conveyor associated with said cutter and said lifting conveyor for directing vegetables cut by the cutter onto the elevating conveyor, a transversely disposed delivery conveyor at the upper end of said elevating conveyor, cutting means associated with said delivery conveyor for cutting vegetables while on said delivery conveyor, a further conveyor spaced parallel to said delivery conveyor and terminating at one end of said delivery conveyor for directing containers under said delivery conveyor to receive vegetables therefrom, and a spring mounted holding plate extending from one end of said further conveyor for receiving containers filled with vegetables.

3. A vegetable cutting machine comprising a wheeled frame having forward and rear end portions, a cutter at the forward end portion of said frame, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined elevating conveyor associated with the frame, an auxiliary conveyor disposed between the cutter and the elevating conveyor for directing vegetables cut by the cutter onto the elevating conveyor, a horizontally disposed transversely eX- tending delivery conveyor at the rear end portion of said frame, said delivery conveyor being disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elevating conveyor, a delivery chute associated with said delivery conveyor for receiving vegetables discharged from the delivery conveyor, cutting means disposed adjacent said delivery conveyor for trimming vegetables before the vegetables enter the delivery chute, means carried' by the frame for thinning out `vegetables as the same are lifted by the elevating conveyor, and a further horizontally disposed longitudinally extending conveyor spaced parallel to said delivery conveyor, said further conveyor terminating below the delivery chute to receive vegetables from the delivery chute.

4. A vegetable cutting machine comprising a wheeled frame having forward and rear end portions, a cutter at the forward end portion of said frame, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined elevating conveyor associated with the frame, an auxiliary conveyor disposed between the cutter and the elevating conveyor fordirecting vegetables cut by the cutter onto the elevating conveyor, a horizontallyr disposed delivery conveyor at the rear end portion of said frame, said delivery conveyor being disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elevating conveyor, a delivery chute associated with said delivery conveyor for receiving vegetables discharged from the delivery conveyor, cutting means disposed adjacent said delivery conveyor for trimming vegetables before the vegetables enter the delivery chute, means carried by the frame for thinning out vegetables as the same are` lifted by the elevating conveyor, a further-conveyor disposed beneath and parallel to :said delivery conveyor for directing containers toward said'delivery conveyor, said further conveyor-terminating beneath said delivery chute to receive vegetables leaving said chute, and a spring mounted holding plate extending from said further conveyor for receiving containers lled with vegetables. v

f CHRIS C. KLENKE.

f ARltlrlemiNcEs CITED The following references are of record in the file' org-.this patent: 4

Y l UNI'I'EUJS'STA'IES PATENTS Number 2,267,303' Jordan Dec. 23, 1941 

